(b) (1) The Commission may appoint one or more deputy medical examiners and forensic investigators for each county.

(2) The Commission shall appoint a deputy medical examiner for a county from a list of qualified individuals submitted to the Commission by the medical society of the county. The number of names on the list shall be at least twice the number of vacancies. However, if a county does not have a medical society or if the medical society does not submit a list of names, the Commission may appoint a deputy medical examiner for the county without a list.

(c) Each deputy medical examiner appointed under subsection (b) of this section shall be a physician.

(d) If necessary, a deputy medical examiner may deputize another physician in the county to act as deputy medical examiner.

(e) Each deputy medical examiner is entitled:

(1) For each medical examiner’s case that the examiner investigates, to a fee that is set in accordance with the State budget;

(2) If the examiner is called as a witness before a grand jury or in a criminal case, to the fee that the court sets; and

(3) To any additional compensation that a county provides.